Timing is everything.

Our winemaking partnership is built on mutual respect, complimentary skills, and a love of great wine.

When Marty Taucher asked Chris Peterson to review his draft winery business plan in 2009, it fortuitously coincided with Peterson’s desire to start a new chapter in his winemaking career. The conversation continued at the friendly confines of North Seattle’s Fiddlers Inn, where the vision for Avennia was born. Mutual esteem for their respective strengths and experiences allowed them to forge an effective partnership. Ultimately, they agreed on the Avennia’s core principals – a passionate commitment to signature vineyards and natural processes in the cellar - resulting in timeless, world class wines that are solely and undeniably Washington.

With the support and input from Chris’ wife Lauren Smith and Marty’s wife Colleen,Avennia was a reality. By the end of 2010, 16 tons of fruit were transformed to wine (released to much acclaim in 2012) and relationships in place with the state’s most legendary growers, enabling them to secure the best fruit in the region for future vintages. Almost a decade later, the same core principles continue to inform the direction of the winery and the business day to day.

Marty Taucher

Managing Partner

A native Oregonian, Marty graduated from Oregon State in 1977 and started at a then upstart Microsoft in 1984. He led the Public Relations and Event Marketing teams for a decade, spending his last five years as Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy for a consumer and online product group.

As his work demanded more travel around the globe, his interest in wine and winemaking grew. Now, after almost three decades of collecting wine, he still finds great joy in the adventure of seeking out new vintners and wine styles from all over the world. In 2009, he was brought on as a crush intern at DeLille Cellars where he met Chris Peterson and together they laid the foundation for what is now Avennia.

Always inspired by new ideas and fresh thinking, Marty is an angel investor. He serves on numerous non-profit boards. When he’s not in the cellar, he’s an avid golfer, a world traveller, and a perfectly reliable drummer.

Chris Peterson

Winemaker/Partner

An integral part of the Washington wine industry for more than a decade, Chris spent seven years helping make some of the state’s most heralded and award-winning wines at DeLille Cellars. He has traveled to, and immersed himself in, all of the major wine growing regions of France (as well as Tuscany and Sicily) where regional food and wine, vineyards tours and his relationships with other winemakers have inspired and informed his own natural winemaking practices.

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Chris graduated from the University of Washington majoring in the Comparative History of Ideas. He went on to become the first graduate of Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture program, where he taught classes on wines of the world with the late instructor and industry pioneer Stan Clarke.

Our Team

Matt Erlandson

Northwest Sales and Marketing Manager (Wholesale)

Matt joined us in the cellar in 2013 and became our first full time employee in 2014. Prior to that, he worked as Assistant Winemaker at Balboa and Beresan Wineries and as Head Winemaker at Fjellene Cellars, which he started in 2007. At Avennia, he brings this great knowledge and passion for wine to his customers every day. Before the wine bug hit him, Matt worked as an Outdoor Educator and Mountain Guide. Although he calls the Northwest home, his trips have taken him to mountains, shorelines, and rivers across the globe. When the conditions are right, you can catch him making turns on a bluebird powder day, cycling the streets of the city, fly fishing the local streams and rivers, or ascending one of the many nearby mountains.

John Sigmar

Assistant Winemaker

John is Chris’s right-hand man in the cellar. He first developed a love of wine around the family table over a meal of roasted leg of lamb paired with Washington Syrahs and Côte-Rotie. His interest in winemaking grew during a trip to Walla Walla with a group of friends. He is a 2015 graduate of the Walla Walla Community College Winemaking program where he interned full time for 2 years at Dunham Cellars. When John is not at the winery racking barrels, cleaning tanks, or running a crush crew, he is a backpacking and hiking fiend, loves home cooking, and spending time with his wife and dog.

Kristen Michel

Direct Sales and Marketing Manager (DTC)

After studying theatre at the UW, Kristen spent 15 years living and traveling in Europe, working as a cultural tour guide and guidebook editor for travel star Rick Steves. She spent 5 years in Paris, where she met and later married her husband. With the arrival of their daughter, she left her professional suitcase behind and looked to pursue another passion: wine. Like Marty, she attended the Seattle hands-on wine school, Northwest Wine Academy, and worked as a cellar intern for us in 2014. She returned to Avennia in 2015 to run all of our direct-to-consumer and tasting room programs. Kristen knows nothing of sports teams or golf, but the cellar team tolerates her anyway.

Andrew Bradshaw

Tasting Room Operations Manager

Andrew joined our team in December of 2016 to help us to open and operate our first tasting room. His passion for wine started when he and his future wife explored Yakima Valley tasting rooms. Together, they decided to take a leap of faith and move to Napa Valley in 2011 where he managed a high end winery. They moved to Walla Walla in 2013 where he helped to open a brand new tasting room, and eventually took a management position in hospitality at legendary winery Woodward Canyon. He spends his free time with his wife, son, and toddler daughter, enjoys the outdoors and an occasional round of golf. A favorite evening is spent with fresh salmon and Rosé on the patio.

Gary Murfitt

Northwest Sales Associate

After Studying Management at the City and Guilds of London Institute, Gary followed his childhood dream of Motor Racing. A Graduate of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School and a brief spell racing in Europe, his parents politely suggested he should consider a new career. A passion for wine took Gary back to school. He attended WSET taking the levels 2&3 gaining distinctions. With a Master Sommelier as a mentor, Gary then enrolled with the Court of Master Sommeliers achieving Certified Sommelier. He has also a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators. Having various roles from Beverage manager to European Wine Director a promotion in 2012 moved Gary to America. He continues his WSET diploma studies and completed a cellar internship in Virginia. At the start of 2017 Gary joined Avennia to improve his English.